Yuyuko Saigyouji
frame|right Introduction Yuyuko Saigyouji, once a human mistress to the Saigyouji clan, she is now the ghost princess of the netherworld pagoda, Hakugyokurou, her death having been a suicide. Able to invoke death in mortals and one of the relatively older beings in Gensokyo, she possesses somewhat of a mysteriously carefree but ambiguous personality and keeps very few personal friends outside of the netherworld, most notable of which being Yukari Yakumo. To play Yuyuko you must be patient, and not overly aggressive when you clearly do not have momentum. Yuyuko may seem like a powerhouse or a spam character, but her lack of defensive moves make it hazardous to play her recklessly. Thus, learning proper use of her seemingly abusable attacks will help a great deal. To benefit from her midrange it's a good idea to learn how to use set-ups and projectile cover, most notably from her 214 series and normal bullets. Normal Moves Close 5A A finger-poke with a wisp. Hits high, will drain an orb if blocked low. Really good for a c.5A because the distance is rather large and covers a nice area. Chains into Yuyuko'a 5AAA chain, or can be canceled into 3A. 4A will use this attack without chaining into her next dial-a hit and at any range. Far 5A A forward-moving chop with a large butterfly. The animation for this is deceptive, the hitbox is actually just a horizontal rectangle that extends at roughly shoulder-height forward from the middle of Yuyuko's back. Fairly slow, and takes a while to recover on miss. Chains and combos into 6A or 3a. 2A A crouching finger-poke with a wisp. Chains and combos into 6A. Also chains and combos into 3A for a nice two hit knockdown. 3A A low sweep with some wisps. Hits low and drains one orb if blocked wrong. Charged version crushes an orb if blocked wrong. The appearance of this is deceptive again, it's extremely long but very low to the ground with a very tiny amount of vertical reach (almost no vertical reach, really). A great general purpose poke. 6A A downward chop with a large butterfly. Hits high and drains one orb if blocked wrong. Charged version crushes an orb if blocked wrong. The hitbox for this begins at roughly head-height and reaches to the ground, making it a pretty good move. j.A An airborne version of her ground c.5A. Pretty standard use jumping attack with a decent hitbox. j.6A A spinning twirl with two butterflies on either side of Yuyuko. This will move Yuyuko diagonally forward and upwards in the air at a set speed, no matter how fast or slow you were going or which direction you were heading. The hitbox starts directly in front and behind Yuyuko and then rotates so that the hitbox is directly below and above Yuyuko. This is a really good move that covers a lot of area, use it to smack opponents that are trying to graze your bullet moves, or as a good easy way to stop airteching. j.2A A diagonally downward wisp attack. This move drains half an orb with each hit if blocked wrong, and hits up to four times. The hit area on it is really huge, so it's pretty good at beating out a lot of attacks. Really good move in general. j.8A An aerial backflip. This move appears to be similar to Yuyuko's old IaMP Flip but it's significantly different in a lot of ways. This version contains no invulnerability frames, and will move Yuyuko slightly upwards. The hit area is roughly the area of Yuyuko's lower body, but slightly larger, hitting diagonally upforwards and directly vertically. 66A Yuyuko sticks out a floaty wisp in front of her while dashing forwards. Contains no graze frames. Despite its appearance this is a melee move and can't be grazed. Can be special canceled and combos into 623B/C Fanspin. 66B A dashing version of the overhead chop. Contains no graze frames, but cannot be blocked in the air. Although it has the same animation as her 6A, 66B actually hits a lot higher, going all the way above her head. A very good anti-air move, use it to stop people constantly trying to chicken block. 66C Yuyuko jumps up into the air with her j.6A. Contains lots of graze frames and has the same hit area as j.6A, but has a long recovery period. Also has crossup potential as it is possible to hit opponents from behind with this. Due to it being punishable on block, avoid overusing it predictably, or as a means of approaching. Bullet Moves 5B Spews a bunch of multi-colors butterflies in a fan-shape. Bullet or special cancelable on the first wave or highjump cancelable on the second wave. Chargeable to send an extra wave. Pretty decent move because it covers a lot of space, and because of the somewhat slow speed of the bullets. Very useful against characters who lack decent graze attacks. 2B Yuyuko performs a backflip and a bunch of of multicolored butterflies quickly burst into a fan shape angled upwards in front of her. Bullet or special cancelable as soon as Yuyuko touches the ground. Pretty good move because it's so fast and covers a really good area. Can also be used as a sort of bullet "shield" to avoid incoming quick bullets while you set up your own cover. j.B Airborne version of 5B. Bullet or special cancelable on the first wave or airdash/flight cancelable on the second wave. Chargeable to send an extra wave. Homes on your opponent's position a bit. 5C Pews out 6 wisps that start overhead then float near the ground and track the opponent forwards. Special cancelable on the first wisp or highjump cancelable on the fourth. Charged version pews out 9 shots. Pretty good move for just basic pestering. The wisps do not come in contact with most bullets, and will go through almost everything, save your opponent. Due to how long and drawn out this string of bullets is, it's hard for the opponent to air dash towards Yuyuko and attack her while she's using it, as their airdash will most likely end before the bullets have finished firing. 2C Yuyuko ascends into the air and pews out 6 wisps that start near her feet then travel downwards and track the opponent forwards. Special or airdash/flight cancelable after the wisps appear. The downside is the startup, but this is a really good move anyway. Shares the same bullet avoidance as her 5C wisps. 6C Sends out a giant wisp that starts out fast then decelerates to a slow moving hover, homing towards your opponent. Special cancelable as soon as the wisp appears, highjump cancelable as soon as the wisp slows down. Hits three times. Lasts 3 seconds. Shares the same bullet avoidance as her 5C wisps. j.C Aerial version of 5C, pews 6 shots. Charged version pews 10 shots. j.6C Aerial version of 6C. j.2C Similar to 5C, but fires at a larger downward arc. Note that the charged version of this attack places the wisps in a different position, instead making a denser, more vertical wall-like pattern, instead of a horizontal line. j.8C Similar to 5C, but fires the bullets in an upwards arc. Special Moves Alternate-Skill Cards Spellcards One cost cards Two cost cards Three cost cards Four cost cards Five cost cards Combos Midscreen *'5AAA' :Damage: 1902 :Limit: 40% :Spirit Orb Usage: 0 :Notes: Sadly, Yuyuko has little to no options midscreen for combos starting with 5A, unless you use a spellcard or Azure is on. *'5A 2B 6C j.2A' :Damage: 2248 :Limit: 50% :Spirit Orb Usage: 3 *'5AA 623C 421C HJ9 9D J8A ' :Damage: 2470 :Limit: 105% :Spirit Orb Usage: 2 :Notes: During Azure only. Near Corner *'2A 6A 6C 623C :Damage: 2050~ :Limit: 100% :Spirit Orb Usage: 2 *'5AAA f.A 6A 623C :Damage: 3070 :Limit: 100% :Spirit Orb Usage: 1 *'5AAA 6C j.A j.8A' :Damage: 2804 :Limit: 100% :Spirit Orb Usage: 1 *'5AAA 6A (a.)623C :Damage: 2791/2946 with a.623B/C :Limit: 100% :Spirit Orb Usage: 0 :Notes: Works with both 623s, but the distance from the corner where you can do this for the Flip is much smaller. *'5AAA j.A j.6A''' :Damage: 2749 :Limit: 80% :Spirit Orb Usage: 0 *'6A 6C 421C j.A j.8A' :Damage: 2000 :Limit: 100% :Spirit Orb Usage: 2 *'f5A 6A 623C' :Damage: 2068 :Limit: 80% :Spirit Orb Usage: 1 Corner *'5AA 2B 2C j.66 j.2A 5AAA' :Damage: 3600+ :Spirit Orb Usage: 2 :Limit: 100% :Notes: Works on everyone but Marisa, Yukari, Tenshi, Youmu, Reisen, Alice and Suika. *'5AAA 5AA 623B/C' :Damage: 2798 :Spirit Orb Usage: 1 :Limit: 100% :Notes: Wait for the opponent to drop a little after wallslam before doing 5AA. Use only one 5A if you have trouble getting the timing down, which nets you 2656 instead, but is much easier. *'(5AA 2B j.2A)x3 5AAA ' :Damage: 4951 :Spirit Orb Usage: 0 :Limit: 100% :Notes: The Komachi Loop. Only works on Komachi. Delay the j.2A as much as you can, so the combo won't cut before your next 5A. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We1qd0xY9N0 (with 2b 623b ender, no point using this anymore) *'5AAA 2B 623B/C' :Damage: 2598 :Spirit Orb Usage: 2 :Limit: 100% *'2A 2B 6C 421C j.A j.8A' :Damage: 2300 :Spirit Orb Usage: 3 :Limit: 100% *'6A 2B 623C' :Damage: 1771 :Spirit Orb Usage: 2 :Limit: 100% *'5AAA a.623B/C (Reverse Screens)' :Damage: 2714 :Spirit Orb Usage: 1 :Limit: 80% :Notes: Works only on Reimu, Marisa, Alice, Aya, Reisen, Komachi, Iku and Tenshi, for until about 2 character lengths from the corner. One of the few options you have if you chose to get the Flip. Air *'j.A j.8A j.421C 9D j.A j.8A' :Damage: 2500-2800 :Spirit Orb Usage: 1 :Limit: 100% :Notes: Requires wisp rings at lvl 1+ *'j.A j.8A j.B' :Damage: 2135 :Spirit Orb Usage: 1 :Limit: 100% *'j.A j.6A j.6C j.A j.8A' :Damage: 2514 :Spirit Orb Usage: 1 :Limit: 100% :Notes: Must be past midscreen, low enough for j.6C to connect after land bounce *'j.A j.6A j.2C' :Damage: 2266 :Spirit Orb Usage: 1 :Limit: 100% :Notes: Must be low enough for j.2C to hit after land bounce. Only works near corner *'j.2A 2A 2B 421C HJ9 j.A j.8A' :Damage: 2900-3055 :Spirit Orb Usage: 2 :Limit: 100%+ :Notes: Corner only, must be kinda low. General Tips & Tricks Pressuring Midscreen pressure Unlike most characters, Yuyuko doesn't have an airtight or reliable string of melee/bullet that can crush or keep an opponent blocking relatively safely all the way to the corner, like Sakuya's 5AAA 2B j2B jA loop, or Tenshi's. Instead, you can use a combination of high/low mixups along with quick dashes and wide bullet cover to keep your opponent guessing. This is where Yuyuko's 5A and 2A's range and speed come in handy. Dashing into a 5A/2A poke can be done by releasing 6 right after you start your dash and pressing 5A/2A. This will let Yuyuko keep her dash momentum while she pokes with 5A2A, resulting in a deceptively far reaching hit that's even faster than her 66A. Mixing up her 5A/2A 3A/6A 6C 421C is a good way to do some spirit damage while setting bullet cover everywhere in front and above you, forcing them to either risk a grazing attack, or continue blocking, as you can follow up 421C with either HJ9 j2A to keep pressuring, or hj7 66 j2A if you think they're gonna try to graze through. Corner pressure Corner pressure with Yuyuko is very much the same as midscreen (I.E. 5A/2A 3A/6A 6C 421C hj9 j2A, repeat), with the exception that you can now poke with 5A/2A a bit more before being out of range. As you have no airtight string options, your opponent will most likely try to graze forward or graze attack out of pressure, as a high jump will put them right into 421's area, allowing you to HJ9 towards them and continue pressuring in the air, or to punish with Airgrab. To avoid being graze attacked or simply grazed out, you have a few options, mostly in just mixing up your strings. For example, 2A or 4A after 3A/6A will catch a grazing attempt or a slow graze attack if they think 6c is coming, or you can hj7 66 (airdash, not flight, this is important) j2A to get them back into blocking. Fanspin Yuyuko's 623B/C can be canceled into from any bullet, quickly adding a layer of melee to your pressure. During midscreen or corner pressure, Fanspin will beat out any graze attempts or chicken blocking. What it will not beat are quicker graze attacks like Yukari's and Tenshi's 66C, if done after 6C. 2A 6A 623C can work if your opponent is really graze attack-happy, but otherwise should be avoided. The one big problem with Fanspin is that it is punishable on block, especially in the corner, so if you guess wrong and Fanspin only to have it blocked, you are vulnerable to heavy punishment. That is, unless you have spellcards on hand. Note: with the release of Hisoutensoku, Fanswipe can replace Fanspin in catching graze attempts, and is unpunishable on block. Fanswipe will not stop chickenblocking though, which Fanspin will. The choice is yours. Rings The old blocked Fanspin into rings trick amazingly still works to this day (...in America!). This will catch any sort of punish attempt on your 623C for pretty good damage, however, again, if they guess correctly and block it, you are once again vulnerable for punishment, and this time you're out of options. However, the rings do quite a bit of spirit damage if done immediately after Fanspin is blocked; 1.5 orbs for 2 card rings, and 1.7 orbs for the first wave of 4 card rings, 3.2 orbs if they block both. If you have the option, it's up to you whether to risk baiting a punish on blocked Fanspin or just crush them with the rings. With 4 card rings, you can, assuming they wrongblock 2 or more melee hits, do 5A/2A 3A/6A 6C 421C hj9 j2A 5A/2A 3A/6A 6C 623C *Everlasting Nap*. The first wave will crush them, the second will hit and send them into the air, where you can do a follow-up j8A for a total of about 3k dmg. However, rings aren't your only option nor your best option after a blocked Fanspin. Poison and lvl 1 ghosts will also do the trick, as will her reversal 2 card 214-like wisp/butterflies. This one can also be punished on block, but the butterflies will still be on screen harassing your opponent if he decided to hit you out of it. Poison/Ghost Poison cards see a lot of use in combos, but they can also be used on Fanspin block to make it safe, cause 1 orb spirit damage, and lets you continue pressuring your opponent as it's advantageous on block. lvl 1 Ghosts is a cheaper alternative for approximately the same results (1.2 orbs). Timebomb also works, but is a rather costly option. Timebomb Life Limit "Ticket to the Netherworld", commonly known as Timebomb, puts a 6 second timer on your opponent which after counting down all the way, will make them explode for approximately 5000 dmg. If you are hit at all or even just crushed during this timer, the timebomb will cancel. This explosion is unavoidable by blocking or grazing, but CAN be avoided using any skill or spellcard that makes you invincible for a bit, such as an actual bomb, a backdash, a weather card, or Yukari and Reimu's teleports just to name a few. A badly timed knockdown will also make Timebomb fail, as you cannot be hit while while knocked down or teching. What this means however, is that your opponent's playstyle will drastically change once he is hit by it. Depending on how you land it, your opponent should either try to rush you down to get just one hit in at all cost, or will back off and wait for the countdown to try to time an invincible ability. Whichever they chose to do, backing off and hoping they fail at avoiding it is a pretty poor way to deal with it, as they will most likely manage to either hit you or gimp your bomb if you do nothing to stop it. Instead, punishing their predictably aggressive behavior, although slightly risky, will get them hit or blocking, which is what you want for timebomb to succeed. Attacking while timebomb is counting down also gives you the opportunity to land some easy combos if they should avoid timebomb with a backdash. Midscreen Timebomb: You can either 5AA *bomb*, or 5AAA *bomb*, depending on where you are. 5AAA will only land if you're close enough for them to wallbounce, and will result in a knockdown. 5AA *bomb* will reel them away, but keep them up. On 5AA, after Timebomb is set, dashing in with 66A will stop them in their tracks if they try anything short of blocking. On counterhit, which is very likely if they chose to rush, you can keep pressure up to keep them blocking (or keep em taking hits), but play it safe and don't risk any punishable behavior. If they chose to back off and play defensively, pressure as you normally would, using bullet cover from 421C, 214B/C, 6C and j2A as to not risk taking a hit. If you ever lose momentum, or if they get a chance to trade hits, back off and block. Corner Timebomb: Using 5AA *bomb* 5AAA 623C will blue ring your opponent and send him flying in the air, landing in the corner and wasting much time on the counter. This puts them in a difficult position, as they only have 1.5 seconds to avoid it, or around a second if they tech. They probably won't try to hit you in this case, and just do anything they can to avoid it. Not teching would spell their doom as all you have to do is j2A 5AAA and they'll get hit, So they will tech 99% of the time. Do you best to be on top of them when that happens, and ideally try to hit them or have them block j2A into Dial-A, which'll waste enough time for Timebomb to explode. :Note: 5AA *bomb* 5AAA 623C does not work on Iku. Either replace your 5AAA for regular pressuring, which can work well since Iku does not have a graze attack, or replace your final 5A hit with 623C, which will not blue ring but still put them in an awkward position if they airtech. Bullet Cover Using bullet cover to help approaching is something every character should do ideally, but some get away with not using it better than others (Youmu, Aya), or simply don't have access to decent slow moving cover (Aya, Tenshi). With Yuyuko, this is not the case for either. You simply will not get away with recklessly rushing as Yuyuko, but getting a proper cover setup is quite easy. Butterfly (214B/C): Her default 214 is a staple move in her arsenal, providing a delayed wave of butterflies covering a huge area if set up properly. As a general rule of thumb, use whichever version sends the wisps towards the wall away from you; If your back is to a wall, use 214B, if you are close to and facing the wall, use 214C, unless your opponent is standing right in front of you. This doesn't provide immediate cover, but rather places a delayed threat that your opponent must deal with; If he tries to attack you, he might get pinned down by butterflies should you block, if HE blocks your incoming attack, the butterflies will fill in the holes in your string and keep him pinned down. Although these butterflies don't do much damage, they can keep your opponent in hitstun for a long time while you beat on him. If you ever get a chance to throw cover and are unsure what to go for, 214B/C is usually a good option. Note that having butterflies on the way doesn't mean you're unbeatable on offense, throwing out 214's and blocking incoming attacks is sometimes a better option if your opponent is too rush-happy. 5B: 5B is often misused or completely foregone in favor of 5C. While 5C is decent for general long range pestering or ground to ground approaching, 5B covers a huge area in front of you, and will actually stop other bullets on contact, though the butterflies are rather light. The slow speed on the butterflies works to your advantage, as throwing j5B and airdashing into j2A will give you cover in front and on top of you in addition to melee. These butterflies can be a huge problem for characters who do not have good graze attacks (I.E. Alice, Komachi), as there's nothing they can do to punch through your offense, and so are forced to either avoid it, throw bullets to counter yours, or just block it. 2B: Mainly used at long range to stop incoming weak bullets, allowing you to set up 214B/B wisps or other bullets, or at close/midrange to stop incoming aerial melee. This move is not as quick as it might look, and shouldn't be used on reaction to an opponent's jA approach, but rather in advance for quick temporary cover. Avoid overusing it at long range against chars with quick dense bullets (Patchouli 6C) or chars with beam attacks (Marisa, Reisen). 2B should not always be followed by 2C, although this fills the screen pretty quick, it isn't a large threat and can easily be avoided. 421C: Continues the tradition of low damage/long hitstun bullets in Yuyuko's arsenal, 421C covers a huge area in front and above Yuyuko, which puts a stop to any chance of the typical graze forward+jA approach so many players are fond of. The wisp rings are actual bullets and are pretty dense, eating up most other bullets. This move is often your best option after 6C, covering pretty much every angle there is aside from right above and behind you. HJ9 into wisp rings if your opponent choses to block 6C, hj7 if you think they will graze it, and follow it up with 66 j2A if you can. 6C: 6C does little damage on hit or block, but covers a deceptively large area due to its tracking. Since it does not go away if grazed and slowly chases the opponent, it can be used to trick others into going past it to hit you, only for it to come back from behind them and hit them while you're blocking their assault, or to cover otherwise unsafe attacks such as 623B midscreen: once blocked, 6C will hover over you and hit them if they try to punish it with anything short of a graze attack. Always a good bullet to have on screen.